


The whispers of yesterday

by Awenseth



Series: On the worn Path of Gods [4]
Category: Hellenistic Religion & Lore, Saint Seiya
Genre: AU, Adventure, Family, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Growing Up, Healing, Humor, Learning to trust, Parenting experiences, Past Child Abuse, damage control
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-17
Updated: 2014-05-17
Packaged: 2018-01-25 10:52:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1646045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Awenseth/pseuds/Awenseth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>We know that all things need to start somewhere, a little seed will one day grow into a mighty tree. Shion was ready for anything when accepting the role as Grand Pope, but saddly had Athena forgotten mentioning to him about the start of all things and the saint training never included parenting classes... </p><p>Well there is a ground why he is known as the Greatest Pope of them all...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. His Little Lamb

This was not how he had planned things…

This was not one of the things his master Hakurei had teached him…  
…or more like left it out to make him suffer in the future.

This was not something he had wished for… by Athena, he wasn’t even sure how to even handle this!

Aries Shion now Pope of the Sanctuary, Athena’s right hand, commandant and teacher to the Goddess's army for the upcoming Holly War felt like breaking out crying. He had a few days prior gotten a letter from Jamir that Atlas, one of his fellow students under Altar Hakurei was dying of old age and wished to see him. It was a painful visit to begin with seeing how all those who had been turned to stone in the last Holly War had lost all theie cosmos in that battle after they got freed, making them age as normal humans. Atlas was the last of them, Yuzuriha and Yato had joined their comrades on the Other Side only thirty years prior to the arrival of the letter. He had known that this would double his duties, then someone needed to keep also one eye on Jamir, but this was not the only ground he was called here. _As he had entered the master bedroom had he found the man he had known since he was a little boy, his lavender hair had turned thin and gray with time while Shion’s hair even if thinning had still held some of its old lustre and the colour was still the same pale green which some often falsely thought to be blonde. He had carefully stepped into the room, feeling the tired eyes fixated on him, even in his last moments alert, but then when he nearly reached the bed fell his eyes on something not all to far from the bed, a crib…_

_“It is… good to see you Shion-sama…” Atlas whispered, breathing was painful for him, but he didn’t care he had lived a good and long life._

_“Yes” Shion whispered back as he took one fragile hand, marred by old age, into his own hands, gently stroking over the once youthful skin._

_“Don’t be sad for me… I have lived long enough, it is time for me to rest, but before that I have a little request for you…” at this looked the pope with slightly widening violet eyes over to the crib, then this was where his friend and little brother was looking._

_“A…Atlas…” Shion started, but the other held up his free hand._

_“My son and daughter-in-law went away a month ago to the mountains to gather some herbs… they have not returned and I have the feeling that I will be meeting them soon…” Shion swallowed, he knew what the other was implying, they had fallen to their deaths. “I can’t leave my grandson without anyone to raise him… he has inherited the strong telekinetic powers of our race, his mother was one of ours…also his cosmos is stirring.”_

_Shion felt himself at these words walk over cautiously to the crib holding a sleeping child not more then six moths old, he was sleeping, but Shion already spotted the familiar lavender hair his grandfather had once possessed. He himself could also feel it, the pulling of a small cosmos as it tried to expand itself inside the little body, but there was something else, he could feel it. The Aries cloth was purring, it was softly singing to the child… did this mean that…_

_“Yes, he was born on the 27th of March, he is an Aries like you…” Atlas replied with a little smirk, it was not often he had seen the older male gapping like a fish. Master Hakurei would surely have had a witty remark if he would have seen this. “I think, he will be a good successor for the Aries cloth, it already seems to have accepted him as a potential owner.” Shion nodded, there was no denying it by the reactions he felt from his cloth, it had already formed a bond with the child._

_“Fine, I will take him.” the pope sighed in defeat when a little hand suddenly grabbed the edge of his sleeve and pulled at it, turning back to the cradle were amethyst eyes looking into curious emerald ones, completely sealing his defeat. Three against one was truly unfair…_

_“If you wish to know, his name is Mu…”_

♈ ♉ ♊ ♋ ♌ ♍ ♎ ♏ ♐ ♑ ♒ ♓

Shion sighed again in frustration while sitting at his desk and getting through the mountain of paperwork which seemed to multiply itself whenever he finished with a new sheet of documents. Mu was at the moment playing animatedly with the toys the maids had showered the baby with right after finding out about him. It was scary how females seemed to turn into crazed creatures if faced with something adorable, really even some of the female saints acted the same with making weird noises and saying every minute how cute Mu was! He sometimes had the urge to just grab the child and teleport somewhere safe, if things went on like this will the boy have a mayor phobia regards everything female and that would pose as a problem. He only hoped that the other future saints will be a bit older then his successor, he nearly screamed when one of the older maids had dragged him to the side and started explaining to him how to feed a baby and the most horrific part… dipper changing! He suddenly knew where some of Hakurei’s mumbled comments had come from when he was annoyed with him, his old master had now even more of his respect then before… and now he also knew one of the grounds regards his preference for sake and smoking. Dohko was of course of no help, in his reply letter had he outright laughed about the whole situation his best friend had landed himself into and stated that he should not get his fleece into a knot now that he had a little lamb in his herd.

“This day will never end…” he groaned while spreading his upper body out on his desk, this pose was the ground why he noticed that Mu was not by his toys.

Jumping up he started looking around frantically for the missing child, already having some horrific scenarios running through his head, some also being ridiculous, the Spectres were still sleeping and Dohko would have written him if something would have been different in the Rozan mountains. He was already crawling around under the rug of his study to see if the child was there when he heard some noises, poking his head out from under the fabric fell his eyes finally on Mu who was clinging to one of the chairs by the little table he had his usual tea on. Watching closely as the child tried to pull himself up and stay like that he finally remembered that one of his maids who was a mother of two herself had told him that Mu will probably soon start trying to walk instead of crawling around on all fours and that if that happens should he talk to him as often as possible so that he can start learning how to talk. He was brought back from those memories when he saw the lilac haired child walk with slow, uneasy and slightly unbalanced steps towards him. This little gesture made his heart beat faster and filled his chest with a strange warmth he could not fully place. Mu was only an arm reach from him when his little legs decided that this was enough training for today and he was back on the ground laughing happily about his success at which Shion found himself smiling. Maybe it was really not that bad having the little lamb here, no his little lamb.

“Pope Shion? What in the name of all that is holly are you doing under the carpet?” at the voice of one of his maids Shion looked up gulping when he saw her dark expression. “Don’t you dare come near that child in this filthy state you are in, I will have Lydia take care of Mu while you take a bath.” she ordered while grabbing the pope by the neck of his robe and dragging him out of the room into the direction of the baths before he could even protest while Mu only waved to him as he was picked up by the black hired maid who tried not to giggle at the sight of the pope.

“Athena-sama failed to mention this to me…” Shion whined as he tried to ignore the amused looks he was getting from his staff.


	2. I will Stardust Revolution the Tooth Fairy!

It was now nearly a whole month since Shion had made that fateful visit to Jamir at the request of a dying comrade and returned with an infant in his arms. The Aries saint was still marvelling on the fact that he had not picked up on drinking, but this was probably due to the fact that Mu was a remarkably peaceful and quiet child as most of the staff remarked with a slight hint of envy in their voices. This was truly a good thing, but it all changed on a peaceful Sunday morning when Shion picked up his young charge from his crib. He immediately noted that Mu seemed somewhat distressed and there were little teardrops at the corner of his emerald eyes.

“A bad dream?” Shion wondered out loud as he made his way in the direction of the dining room to have breakfast, but halfway he noted two unpleasant things. 1. something wet was sliding down his hand and 2. Mu was chewing on the sleeve of his robe. “What in the… euww… is that droll?” and they were already on their way back to the bedroom.

After getting changed hoped Shion that everything would go fine now, but he was sadly mistaken, not only had Mu refused to eat his… whatever thing the cook was making him, he could for the life of him not tell if that mush was made out of vegetables, fruits or Athena knows what. The child even reduced himself to cover the pope with that mush about which Shion decided that if they would have made him try to eat that thing he would have teleported it to Siberia or use it in the next Holly War as a secret weapon against the spectres. After that followed more drooling making Shion think about how many lectures he would get if he lets Mu walk around only in his dippers and there was also the occasional nipping either at his fingers, hair or robes beside the usually calm child being fussy. Shion held up bravely for two more days till he had enough, there were only so many robes a single baby could make drip with droll. Also he found out a new fun fact, if Mu got really fussy then his telekinesis would activate and let either things or people float.

This was the ground why he was currently sitting cross legged on his bedroom floor, arms crossed in front of his chest, eyes fixated on the baby looking back at him. Shion was a proud man and liked to think that he knew many things or if not then he could find the answers or solutions, this was why he tried to deal with the new problem alone. Though he would later need to ask Lydia if she had ever thought about becoming a female saint, she certainly had a hard slap for someone only sixteen. It was not that Shion tried to look, but when the young maid had passed them with the empty laundry basked had Mu one of his telekinetic-fuss moments as Shion had dubbed them and made the girl’s skirt float up Marilyn Monroe style and she lashed out at him… This will certainly not stand in his next letter to Dohko…

There was suddenly a knock on his bedroom door and Magda the maid who had dragged him to take a bath stepped inside, in one of her hands was a cloth with a clear sheen of ice on it. Shion only blinked when she looked at him shaking her head before kneeling down in front of Mu and giving him the fabric which the baby immediately took into his mouth and started gnawing at it blissfully.

“His first teeth will soon start to appear, this is why he is gnawing on things or people and why he is fussy, he is trying to relieve the pain in his gums.” she told the bewildered greenet without looking into his direction “Try giving him things on which he can chew preferably something cold and hard, it will ease the pain and he will be calmer, cold drinks and food are also good options. You can also try rubbing his gums with your **_clean_** finger and **_not_** one with which you have crawled round under the rug.” she advised him at which Shion mumbled something regards that she was never going to let him live that one down. “If you try the later technique be prepared that he will not like it at first, but he will enjoy it when the throbbing pressure in his gums eases.” with that Magda stood up and headed for the door, this was also the time Shion had snapped out of his reverie.

“…thank you Magda.” he said honestly.

“Your welcome Pope Shion, but the next time put your male pride into a closet when it comes to that child.” she said while shutting the door behind her, but before that she added. “Don’t forget the Tooth Fairy will come exactly fifty two times, the baby teeth are twenty in number while after they are out come the thirty two permanent ones.”

Shion stared blinking for a few second at the door then he turned back to Mu who looked up at his from his happy munching on the blissfully numbing fabric he was given.

“Mu, if you ever see this Tooth Fairy please inform me immediately and then close your eyes, because I will Stardust Revolution her in both of our names.” Shion replied in a determined tone to the now happily gurgling baby.


	3. Never mention the first word again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one-shot is the actuall reference to a part mentioned in the second chapter of my fic "Avengers: The Path of Myth"

After getting over the ordeal regards the appearance of the first teeth was Shion already facing his next task by parenting, - beside still determined to Stardust Revolution the Tooth Fairy -, and this was teaching Mu how to speak. Shion had been careful about the words being spoken around the baby who much to his immense pride was progressing well. It was nowadays not even a rare sight to see the pope wandering through the Sanctuary while the lavender haired child was clinging to the sleeve of his robes.

The sight was truly adorable.

Shion would often take his young charge to the gardens beside the Virgo temple, he still wondered when Asmita had the time or mostly when he come out to construct it, it was sad that he never asked and that the only one who had know the man was someone they had not even known that he existed. In such cases held Shion back a sigh, when he found the new Gemini would he do everything in his power that neither of them needs to suffer that alienation their predecessors needed to endure. He had went over all scripts about the gold saints trying to change some things, but there were still problems he knew that he could not do anything about, the flaming heart of the scorpion and that the aquarius needed to be sometimes emotionless to use his powers and there was the thing with the pisces. It hurt thinking about Albafica and the loneliness he had went through and the pain only lifted slightly at the irony that it had been one of his enemies whom had in a way made him smile in the end and find love for the flowers he had despised all his life.

_“All my life I have been among the poisonous roses, but now, for the first time, I think these roses are beautiful.”_

“Truly ironic, I think you thought the same Albafica.” Shion whispered when he finally noticed someone tugging at his sleeve.

Looking down he spotted Mu who held his little hands out, signalling that he wished to be picked up. Shion complied without a word, but then he noticed something which stunned him, they have not reached the Virgo temple, but instead were now in the Sanctuary’s cemetery. The pope was shocked that in his reminiscation had his feet brought him to those he was thinking about. Shaking his head turned the greenet around to head upstairs to his palace, it seems that they both are in dire need for a nap.

♈ ♉ ♊ ♋ ♌ ♍ ♎ ♏ ♐ ♑ ♒ ♓

It was Monday in the afternoon that Shion could be found on the ground of his study, after he reassured his attendants that he will not crawl under the rug – they will truly never let him live that one scene down – and was again attempting to teach Mu how to speak. He was at this since two whole hours.

“Mu, try saying Jamir.” he was slowly getting tired of this, maybe they could continue tomorrow.

Mu only looked up at the adult with wide emerald eyes and tipped his head to the side, a gesture with which he could bring even the most stoic female saints to melt while others only squeled at the adorableness. Shion sighed, it really seemed that they would need to continue this tomorrow and they might make some progress, Mu was a fast learner so this should not be a problem. Also if he refuses to talk verbally Shion still had the option to teach him talking through telepathy seeing how Mu displayed only rarely too much problems with this telekinesis and those few times were only triggered by pain or fear like after he had a nightmare and send a wardrobe flying out of the window and crashing right into the Cancer temple. Shion was about to stand up when there was a knock on the door and one of his attendants stepped inside handing him an envelope from China.

“Looks as if Dohko has finally replied.” Shion said with a little smile on his lips, he missed his old friend and even though his sheep references annoyed him to no end, he still loved the person with whom he had grown up with and was the only one he still had left from their little group. Suddenly his eyes widened and his face darkened as he read the reply in which he had written about the things they had went through by the ‘teeth disaster’, he had left out the skirt in the air incident, but Dohko had a too lively fantasy. “Tha…that man…” he growled in disbelief, but lowered his voice so asto not scare Mu or let him hear too much. “First his constant sheep references and now he even thinks that I’m some kind of a pervert?” he hissed out under his breath, but then his heart stopped.

“Pevet” Shion froze and carefully looked down to his feet, eyes as wide as a shield then there by his feet sat Mu, gazing up at him happily, he had waddled over to Shion as the pope was reading the letter. “Pevet”

No, Shion had not heard it wrong and that word could also not be mistaken for anything else so throwing the letter away as if it would have burned him dropped the pope to his knees and looked panicked at the baby. He could only all too well imagine Hakurei laughing hysterically at the mess his student had landed himself into with the fact that even thought he had lowered his voice had he forgotten to check where the baby was.

“No Mu, that is not a nice word to say, try Jamir, Athena, saint…please Mu even Hades would be fine.” he nearly whined and for a second it looked as if Mu would really try saying a new word, but his hopes got crashed.

“Pevet seep!” the baby said happily and this time Shion really broke out into tears while mumbling about also needing to find a successor for the Libra cloth, because the current Libra Saint had a fatal accident in the mountains.

At the same time in front of the large door leading to the pope’s study stood Magda with two maids and some of the attendants at her side, shaking her head.

“I doubt that he had listened to me when I told him that when a baby finally manages to pick up a few words they either string them together with something or go over to another. They only keep a new word for longer if they get a reaction which is either amusing or interesting.” she said while looking at the pope who had now jumped up from the ground and started pacing around the room while contemplating a murderer. The maids and attendants only sighed, they really need to put in parenting class for the saints.


	4. Bubbles, bubbles…

It had been a long and tiring day for Shion, who would have known that the pope when not preparing the new generation of saints to the upcoming Holly War would need to battle with so much paperwork. No wonder his master had escaped when they wanted him to be the pope and why Sage-sama was so often annoyed and tended to sneak away from work. Massaging his stiff shoulders wanted Shion only a relaxing and hot bath and to play a bit with his Little Lamb before going to bed. This reminded him, he had not seen Mu all day or heard him for that matter.

He had been forced into his study and left alone to deal with the white mountains of paper one having more ridiculous demands on it then the other. So stopping in his tracks and looking around had Shion closed his eyes and started concentrating on the small cosmos emitting from his charge. It always brought a smile to his face because how soft it felt, like the fleece of a young sheep…great, Dohko was rubbing of on him. Pushing those thoughts away started Shion to follow the trail of cosmos, nearly running into different parts of the furniture and some soils on the way, till he heard the sound of happy child laughter. He was already close, but why was he feeling as if the Aries cloth would try to pull him into the opposite direction?

Opening his eyes he fully understood…

 

♈ ♉ ♊ ♋ ♌ ♍ ♎ ♏ ♐ ♑ ♒ ♓

Many saints, trainees and staff members looked up startled at the pope’s palace atop of the large hill in the heart of the Sanctuary when the loud screams come while inside was the pope desperately trying to apologize and to explain that he hadn’t seen anything! And all this while dodging all types of objects his opponents could get their hands on.

Mu on the other hand was happily recanting his favourite words ‘pevet seep’ to which the maids agreed when the pope finally managed to get out of the door.

“Really that man, I know that he must be lonely, but this is still no excuse to walk into the maids bathing area.” said a blonde maid indignantly, a blush still on her cheeks.

“All men tend to be impossible.” another one agreed.

“Let’s hope that when you grow up you will be a sweet and kind guy and not a pervert.” stated Lydia as she and the other maids smiled at the now finally clean and giggling baby with them in the bath ‘aawwwing’ when he started chasing some of the soap bubbles floating around them.


	5. Birthday Blues

Shion could hardly believe it when he looked one morning at his calendar that his Little Lamb would be one full year old in only two more days. Time seemed to have gone by fast with autumn turning to winter and then spring again. He still remembered how adorable Mu was while making the leaves float around himself with his telekinesis or playing in the snow. Shion had even decided to show him how to make snow bunnies and angels for he was still too little to try himself with a snowman in his option. Looking out of the window landed his eyes on one of the large trees just outside of it, full in bloom.

Yes, this spring promised to be a rich one.

Taking his gaze from the view walked the pope with even steps in the direction of the kitchens, it was true that they were all preparing for a war which would soon come, but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t enjoy life in the fullest. His master was adamant that he should never forget this as was Sage-sama regards Manigoldo, both wanted their students to know that there was more to life then war. As he walked remembered Shion the day he had given the pope’s helmet, the one he wore now, to his master and he talked about how lonely it was to sit on the throne, gazing at the closed door in the large room. He now fully understood that loneliness and also the heart warming feeling which come when the doors were opened by comrades. Though there was a difference in his time and that of Sage-sama for when he was the pope there were still a few other surviving gold saints and others who brought new students to the Sanctuary, but their number now was little and most of the young trainees were more qualified for either bronze or silver cloths then gold, their cosmos was not strong enough and none of the ten had found either of them for their liking. It seemed that only his Aries was the one who had decided that it had found its next master in his young charge.

It seemed that if he wishes to find the next generation of Gold Saints would he need to head out himself with a part of each of the ten gold cloths and search for them, but he couldn’t and wouldn’t leave Mu with anyone as long as he was this little. Unfortunately would this not faze the spectres if the Holly War starts so he had no choice, he would head out shortly after Mu turns two years old.

“Can we help you Pope Shion?” the voice of the cook brought Shion out of his musings and made him realize that he had arrived at the kitchens without even noticing it.

“Ah yes “he said hurriedly composing himself, now he had a new idea why the pope wears this helmet which hides most of their face, it saves you from looking like an idiot. “Mu’s first birthday is in two days and I would like to ask you to prepare a cake for him.”

“Of course Pope-sama, it will be our pleasure.” the cook replied while his staff smiled and nodded eagerly, they all loved the child living in the palace and knew that he would soon be spending more time in the first temple to get used to it for when it becomes his new home.

Nodding in gratefulness, left Shion the kitchens to also inform his other staff members, that they will have a little birthday party for the youngest person living in the Sanctuary. After being done with the fore-preparations made the greenet his way back to his chambers where Mu was currently having his nap. Entering the room carefully Shion froze for a second when he saw the crib empty, but let out a sigh of relief when finding the toddler curled up in a little ball on his bed. Smiling warmly at the scene put the pope his helmet on the night table beside the large four poster bed, took of his shoes and laid down beside the child, his hand gently stroking the lavender hair, it was still short, but Shion liked how soft it felt. Mu stirred a bit in his sleep, but didn’t wake up as he instinctively snuggled closer to the warmth the other body at his side was emitting.

“I think I’m old enough to allow myself also some nap time. Don’t you think so Mu?” he asked the sleeping baby while allowing his violet eyes to close.

 

♈ ♉ ♊ ♋ ♌ ♍ ♎ ♏ ♐ ♑ ♒ ♓

The sound of something clicking and the flash of bright lights woke Shion from his peaceful slumber, it took some minutes for him to finally clear his vision which soon become both surprised and annoyed when spotting the ground for his awakening. There in his room stood his fellow gold saint and brother in arms Libra Dohko with a huge smile on his face and a camera held between his hands. Shion was still shocked asto how old his friend had become even thought Athena had informed them before departing, but still in difference to his friend could the pope still be called a young man regards his looks. This brought him to another thought, why was the other not in China?

“Dohko, what are you doing here and…did you just make photos about me sleeping?” he asked the now chuckling saint who placed the camera inside his robes.

“I merely come here to do my honours for the Little Lamb and was unable to leave out the adorable scene which had greeted me when entering here.” Dohko replied as he walked closer to the bed where Mu was looking at his curiously. “He is a really adorable little thing.” he remarked while tickling the toddler who laughed gleefully.

“Yes he is.” Shion replied before looking over at the other again, no matter how annoyed he felt for being woken up and he was still sore about Mu’s firs word, but still it made him happy to have his old friend here. “Dohko, would you like to accompany me to our brothers?” he asked softly at which the other nodded solemnly.

 

♈ ♉ ♊ ♋ ♌ ♍ ♎ ♏ ♐ ♑ ♒ ♓

The two days flew by with everyone being busy making everything ready for the upcoming birthday party. Even the people living in Rodoriho were excited because it were such little things that made them feel part of a world unknown to so many of those living in this era. The party was held outside in one of the many gardens of the Sanctuary. Coloured lanterns were hung out with flowers on them, torches were lit, blankets spread out on the soft grass for everyone to sit and to eat, laugh and sing together. There was much laughter, dancing, best wishes and presents. Mu seemed to enjoy it all well as much as a one year old toddler could really enjoy a party if they are not even sure what it was.

The main event of the night was of course the opening of the presents by which Shion needed to help his young charge who was sitting securely in his lap. The pope sent a glare at his best friend when his present revealed a sheep doll with ironically pale green fleece and violet eyes. Dohko only winked at him in amusement, the doll was too good to be left behind. This was also the ground for a new photo to be made. Shion’s present had been the last one to be opened, when the lavender ribbon and the golden paper were down from the small box looked everyone curiously at the arm bracelet made out of gold with a rubin in the middle. Seeing it Dohko went closer to his friend who looked at it with melancholy in his eyes.

“Shion, this is…” Dohko started.

“Yes, it was Yuzuriha’s, she has given it to me with the blessing of her children and grandchildren to one day give it to my own child or student, not that for us there is a difference between these two titles. She wished that with this those who had fought in Jamir, our people, to be remembered under the Saints of Athena.” Shion finished with a small smile on his lips when Mu yawned and started rubbing his left eye. “And it seems that this is it for tonight.” he said when the child leaned against his chest.

“Yes, it is nearly morning again and he is still little.” agreed Dohko, not commenting on that what Shion had said beforehand, he knew that now only a few of them were still there to remember the past and those who had given everything for the future generations.


	6. A picnic for two

It was a beautiful spring day and just one of those days Shion dreaded, now most people would look strangely at this, but who doesn’t dread such days when the weather is pleasant, everything is filled with flowers and you are stuck in your study going over paperwork or sit like a statue on a throne and stare at the large doors in a huge empty room. Really, Shion dreaded such days, at least if the weather is bad can he entertain himself with the thought that he will not get wet or something like that so it was a little surprise for him that when reaching the door to his study the present attendants gave him dark looks. 

“Is something wrong?” he asked confused as they scowl only deepened. 

“Pope Shion, just what do you think you are doing!” at Magda’s voice Shion flinched, this day was getting only stranger. 

“What did I do?” he asked her when spotting Mu clinging to her dress smiling while there was a large basked hanging on the woman’s arm. 

“You will be at this time next year gone to look for the other Gold Saints and you really try spending time with papers then with this child?” Magda asked in an accusing manner, while gesturing to the toddler clinging to her dress, at which Shion only gapped when the basked was showed into his hands. “We have put everything in it for a picnic so get going.” 

And thus had Shion suddenly found himself outside of his home with a basked on his arm and a giggling child clinging to his sleeve, who had just seen his father being manhandled by one of the maids. Even if still young was Mu pretty intelligent and observing, he didn’t talk much because he liked the quiet, but didn’t mind the presence of others around him. Finally snapping out of his daze took Shion the child’s hand and both were on they way down the steps on the path of the Zodiac which will be hopefully filled soon with the saints destined to guard the 12 temples. It made him smile a bit that when they passed one of the temples Mu greeted the Gold Cloth being in them, he will soon also need to start teaching him how to repair the cloths, which will be hard. Not because it was really that hard to do after you know what you need to get done, but the fact about the really damaged cloths and they need for blood. He shuddered at the thought of showing his Little Lamb how to slice his wrist to get the needed amount of blood and which point he needs to hit to stop the bleeding. He was freaked out when Mater Hakurei had shown it to him for the first time, but on another thought… his master had a strange character and sense of humor for that matter…Must have something to do with being a cancer Sage-sama and Manigoldo had also they occasional ticks. 

They spent a little bit longer inside the Aries temple allowing Mu to roam around for a little bit inside the rooms. It was better if he starts this soon to get familiar with the place and where he could find everything seeing how he will need to live here while most of the time while training for the Aries cloth and after getting it permanently. Shion was sure that he would miss his presence inside his room terribly, but this was the way of things. After Mu got back from his little discovery tour around his soon-to-be home headed both down the last steps into the direction to one of the large gardens of the Sanctuary to have they little picnic. Shion often marveled about the refuge Athena had once created for her soldiers back then in the Mythological Era then if you forgot about the approaching war for the future of humanity this place could truly be called a Paradise on Earth. 

Finally finding the perfect spot in the shade of two large trees on a grassy hillside started Shion with Mu’s help to pack everything out on the blanket he had laid out on the grass. There were sandwiches, yogurt, fruits, marmalade, bread, tea and even some sweets for desert. Shion also found a little ball at the bottom of the basket which he decided could be brought to a good use so he called Mu over to himself and told him that they will be playing ball with each other. Though he told the excited child that they will not use they hands to catch the ball and to throw it to the other, but they will use they telekinetic powers to make things more interesting and it will be also a good training for him. 

“But I will only be able to play with you in such a way.” Mu stated a bit unsurely at which Shion only smiled and patted his head. 

“You should not worry about that in my time was Virgo Asmita also able to use telekinetic powers and Gemini have also in some ways an affinity for it seeing that they can use teleportation. So I think you will have at least three people to play telekinetic ball with.” though he bit back a chuckle, Asmita would have thrown him right into the Underworld if he would have stormed into his temple and suggested they should play ball in the case of the twins was he not sure Aspros was a train-a-holic and he was unconscious most of the time Defteros saved him so no clue. “In the case of the others will you use your hands, ok?” 

“Hai.” answered Mu happily as he moved a bit away from Shion who made the ball float and sent it into his direction. 

They little game went on for a while though Shion was careful to not let it go on longer then two hours then even thought Mu was skilled, he was still to young and they powers could be exhausting both physically and mentally. He should know from all the scolding he had received form master Hakurei for overdoing things so calling they game of went both of them back to the blanket to start working on the food which had been packed in for them to consume while out. While eating had Mu re-introduced him to a game he had no recalling when he had played for the last time, pointing out the cloud shapes. 

Well, today was actually not such a dreadful day in his option though his attendants who had taken over his job would certainly say differently.


	7. To see with their eyes

It had been a full month since they shared little picnic, but time was running short, then even thought it was still spring the next Holly War was approaching and Shion needed to teach as much to his successor as he could to ensure that he has a chance to survive for the shake of the future generations. They had started first with telekinesis, letting things float, telepathy and short distance teleportation, then they moved over beside the basic physical training schedule with timed in days to go over the basics regards the attacks of the Aries saints. Shion was pleased that even thought Stardust Revolution didn’t do anything by the first tries after getting over the facts that Mu still could create, even if weak, but still a solid Crystal Wall. This was not such a bad start and he was confident that if they keep training Mu would have no problems in a fight.

♈ ♉ ♊ ♋ ♌ ♍ ♎ ♏ ♐ ♑ ♒ ♓

It was the last day of May and Mu was on his way down to the Aries temple, this was actually the first time he ventured down there alone at the request of his father/master who was already waiting for him there. Mu was curious about what they will be learning today, but also a bit nervous because something gave him the feeling that his teacher was not fully fine with what they will do today. Finally arriving at the temple he sensed out his cosmos and entered the large room which looked like a workshop. Shion stood there with a grave look on his face out of his usual papal robes only wearing his cloth usually hidden under them, this only increased the child’s worries, but still walked deeper inside at the others motion with his hand.

“Mu, today we will be learning about the repair of the cloths.” Shion said slowly before he took a deep breath. “I would have liked to get to this later, but our time is running out and with the need to find your comrades have I no choice because we whom are the last survivors of the lost continent are esentional for the victory of Athena and the other saints.” Mu nodded, he was already told about the upcoming Holly War and what it meant for all of them. “We have already talked about from what each of the eighty-eight cloths were made of.” 

“Gammanium, orichalcon and stardust sand were used to make the shells and a part of the constellations’s soul had taken up residence inside of it. This resulted in the cloths being sentient, they can feel, have memories and have also a connection because of the soul part in them with the starsign they represent and thus is that constellation called the guardian constellation of that cloth. This is also the ground why the twelve gold cloths can call forth the light of the sun.” Mu replied dutifully which brought a faint smile to the pope’s lips, his Little Lamb was truly a fast learner and suppressed most children his age, but it also saddened him that Mu had such a short time to be truly a child. 

“Correct, if a cloth is only slightly damaged can throwing stardust sand over the damaged part and rubbing it in heal a cloth, but if the damage is too great then the cloth dies and the only way to revive it is by using a large amount of a saint’s blood.” Shion waited for a few moments for Mu to fully understand this, but the question leaving the child’s mouth surprised him. 

“Is this why your arms are bandaged most of the time?” he asked silently and Shion nodded. 

“I don’t wish of you to revive a cloth yet, I only wished for you to know about what we will be doing when you turn three. So in tow years from now on, but still I need to show you.” and with that pulled Shion a box out from under the worktable, he had since long wished to repair this cloth, but whenever he had set out to do it was he not able, the tears of the memories flooding his mind even without the cloth’s stored memories were making it impossible for him to concentrate on the task. 

Tough now he would not back out of it. 

Mu watched the sadness and pain on the older man’s face as he opened the box, his hands shaking, and pulling out the remains of a cloth severely broken and silent. Mu was always able to hear a faint hum from the cloths and with time that humming got louder and now he could by some even understand words. He watched his father gazing at the cloth, its silver colour dimmed, there were cracks everywhere and some parts were missing, it reminded Mu on a broken table with a mirror cracked in half atop of it. Then he heard a soft whisper coming from the Aries cloth, his master didn’t seem to have noticed, lost in his memories, but Mu heard and it made him rush up to the man and hug him tightly, tears running down his little face as the words echoed in his head. 

_**“The Alter cloth belonged to your master’s teacher Little Lamb…”**_

The embrace brought Shion back from his memories about Hakurei and made him look at the sobbing child clinging to him. It suddenly reminded him that now was he also a master and he needed to be strong for his student just like master Hakurei had been for them, but he still swore that he would not put Mu thorough the pain to see him die in front of his eyes. 

Mu felt when strong arms wrapped themselves around him and the feeling of a chin resting on his head. 

“I’m sorry Mu, I got carried away with my thoughts.” he heard the older man whisper gently as he pulled away and whipped away both they tears. “Now we should get back to the task at hand.” he said while handing Mu a hammer made from oricalcon and a chisel made out of gammanium. “As said a death cloths needs a large amount of blood, but the human body had a limit how much it can give before one gets to weak so we will use my blood and then you need to place the chisel on it and hit it with the hammer as hard as you can. The cloths will soon start glowing, don’t stop till the light has disappeared from around it and don’t worry about me I will be fine.” Shion added when he saw that Mu was about to protest. “Have you understood?” 

“Hai.” was the short reply, Shion could tell that he was still worried thought and he needed to bite back a sigh. He hated hurting his Little Lamb like this, but he had not alternative at hand, the blood must be fresh or it won’t do much. 

Mu flinched when Shion sliced his wrist with one of the Aries horns and let the scarlet fluid drop on the broken cloth, slowly going to his knees, his face ashen before he hit a point over his chest and the bleeding stopped. Form the look he was giving him Mu understood that it was now time, placing the chisel on the highest spot he could reach started the young saint-in-training to hit at it with the hammer, careful asto not hurt himself by accident. He was partly grateful for the loud noise both the chisel and the hammer made because they blocked out the heavy panting which left the slightly colourless lips of his father as he leaned heavily against the cold wall. Soon the cloth started glowing and Mu was sure that he could hear a faint voice in the distance, it was slowly returning to life, when the light dimmed finally put the young boy his instruments on the ground and rushed to his father hugging him as the tears were sliding down his cheeks. 

“I… it is alright… Little Lamb… I was also scared by… by my first time…” Shion panted out softly as he hugged his young charge close to his chest sleep slowly enfolding the both of them.

♈ ♉ ♊ ♋ ♌ ♍ ♎ ♏ ♐ ♑ ♒ ♓

Mu was slowly making his way up the stairs to the pope’s palace; he had spent his fourth night in the Aries temple and had been on his way back from it. He would be for the upcoming two weeks sleep again in the palace and then again four nights in the temple. He had only entered the sixth temple when he heard a familiar humming. Mu really liked when the Virgo cloth was humming one of her soft melodies, she really had a beautiful voice and it was sad that only a few could hear her then to hear the voice of a cloth your really need to concentrate on them and also be able to fully understand that they are not objects, but living entities with a soul.

_**“I’m glad that you like my singing Little Aries.”** _

“Uhum… your voice is really calming and pretty like yourself.” Mu said nodding as he walked inside the room containing the platform on which the form of a kneeling maiden with golden wings was placed, her box beside her body. The sunlight of the large windows made the golden armour sparkle with the light of both the sun and the stars. 

_**“Your cosmos is expanding day by day and soon you will be bestowed with Aries, he is really pleased to protect you in the future.”**_ the Virgo said telepathically, but Mu only shook his head furiously. 

“I want him to protect master Shion for a longer while, I… I don’t want to lose my father.” Mu said in a sad tone staring at his lap, the memories of his lesson regards the reviving of a cloth still scared him, to see the strong man so many loved looking so fragile. 

_**“I know little one, most of us wish to protect our bearers for all eternity, but sadly is fate not so kind to any of us. There is no happiness without pain, no light without darkness, no hope without grief, no love without hatred and no victory without sacrifice. You must understand this child for we are all bound by destiny.”**_ her tone was soft and just as wise as it was expected from those who were bestowed to be her carriers. 

“I know, you and the others have seen so much more then we.” Mu said as he finally looked up. 

_**“Yes, we have seen much and also carry the memories, hopes and dreams in us from all those whom had fought with us at hey side. Come here child, let me show you some of the past of my bearers and the happier times they had lived and of those they loved.”**_

Mu nodded as he stood up and walked up to the podium.

♈ ♉ ♊ ♋ ♌ ♍ ♎ ♏ ♐ ♑ ♒ ♓

Shion had been anxious, Mu should have already returned from the first temple since a whole hour, he knew that with him being little that it would take longer then it takes an adult, but still he should have arrived by now. Pushing all his catastrophic fantasies away and scaring some of the maids as he rushed past them headed the pope down the Path of Zodiac in search for his student’s cosmos. It gave him relief when he felt it inside the Virgo temple, wavering evenly in a signal that he was asleep and unharmed.

Reaching the temple was Shion greeted with the sight, which he will later in the future view as a _‘bad warning signal he should have realized back then’_ , of Mu sleeping peacefully with a little smile on his lips, his head resting on the knees of the Virgo cloth. 

“I’m glad that he was by you and not in one of the scenarios I had imagined.” Shion replied with a relieved sigh, ignoring the comment his cloth was mumbling towards him. 

_**“You didn’t need to worry, I was only smoothing away some of his worries.”**_ the Maiden replied to the pope who nodded as he took the sleeping boy into his arms, nodding in gratitude before making his way back to the palace.


	8. I don’t believe in stereotypes

As fate would have it the time Shion could freely spend with Mu was over and he needed to head out to find those who were also destined to wear a Gold Cloth. Going through all the ten temples had Shion taken one small part of the cloths which would not be too heavy to carry around and made his way to the entrance of the Sanctuary. It brought both warmth and sadness to his heart to see everyone gathered beside the path leading to the gates either waving at him with a smile on they faces, wishing him a safe journey and good luck, some of the younger trainees had even picked flowers for him. Mu had followed him dutifully till the gates where they parted after hugging and a promise to return as soon when he had found the new saints. 

And with that Shion had teleported away.

♈ ♉ ♊ ♋ ♌ ♍ ♎ ♏ ♐ ♑ ♒ ♓

It was already a whole week later and Shion was making his way through one of the poorer villages of Greece trying to not let the disgust show on his face. He had decided to start the search here in Greece and then move over to new countries if none of the cloth parts should react which was the ground why he was currently walking along the dirt path between houses which looked about ready to collapse. By all means Shion had nothing against people who lived in poverty; by Athena he come from the XVIIIth century! His problem was with people who allowed places like these to still exist and not trying to give these people paying jobs so that they could afford better living conditions for them and they families. His senses were on high alert against attacks and also asto not step into something undesirable, the air was even outside by some of these so called ‘homes’ suffocating.

“I dearly hope for you that this is the right direction I need to go.” he mumbled silently to the humming golden finger in his pocked. 

He had woken up three hours ago and had been about to make a good use of the hotel’s swedish buffet table when he felt the humming from one of the cloths demanding that they immediately head out. As for any arguments about going after he had some cereal or at least an apple were thrown out of the window because Aries had enough with the nagging of his fellow cloth and forced the pope out of the dining room, the hotel lobby and the building itself and they were already down the street. 

Shion bit back a sigh at the situation, but he had a duty to fulfil, his stomach would have to wait for some time till he found whom he was looking for and it seemed that the Gods have decided, that with him having entertained them with his failing attempts at first time parenting, that they would be gracious to him. He had just passed a small alley on the dirty street when suddenly two flashes of blue rushed past him and ducked into the alley, his currently on alert psychical abilities supplying him with the main feeling coming from the ones whom had passed him… fear. Stopping in his tracks he could hear them hiding behind some of the overloaded wood made trash containers and then he felt it the finger started burning, but instead of relief felt Shion only grief, he will need to rethink his return to the Sanctuary, but that could wait then soon hit the sound of running his ears and the pope found himself face-to-face with a dishelmed looking man with dirty hair and beard, his clothes were ragged and seemed to have been often patched up. 

“Did you see my son running around here with that thing?” he asked in a gruff voice and all pity Shion could have felt for that man got vanquished by the fact that he dared to refer to one of his own children as nothing more then an object. Back in the alley he could feel the older of the children hugging the younger, shaking one closer they fear mounting. 

“To be honest I have seen two children run down the street.” he could feel the children tense and he was sure that one was already looking around for an escape route or at least some type of weapon. This displeased Shion even more and he was not about to let these kids return to the place they had probably come from. 

“Where did he go?” again he made no mention about the second child which unnerved Shion, it made him remember how Defteros was treated, how all of the second ones were treated. 

“They had run in that direction and climbed over that fence if my eyes are still good.” Shion said pointing at the fence at the end of the other little street on his left, he could feel the children exchanging confused looks with each other while they father started running into the pointed out direction. After diming the coast clear made Shion his way inside the little alley and peaked behind the children’s hiding place. “Gentlemen, I doubt that this is the most sterile place for children your age to play hide-and-seek.” he said in a gentle voice to the tensing boys, ignoring the distrustful looks he was getting sadly even in this era was it not uncommon that young children living in poverty or on the streets get picked up only to be sexually exploited. 

“Why did you lye to our father, after that fence is a pig stall.” one of the boys with darker hair stated, his green eyes filled with suspicion and determination to protect his younger twin should the older man prove to be one of those coming to the village every second week to buy children from they families. 

“Then I daresay will he be a bit busy.” the strangely dressed man said with a little laugh before holding his hand out into they direction, but he didn’t touch or try grabbing them like the older boy had though he would, he just held it out towards them. “I know that it counts as impolite to leave out introductions, but I fear you father may have realized by now that I have fooled him so we should go now.” 

“We won’t go anywhere with a stranger.” the older boy said while hugging his brother closer who let out a whimper at which the man strangely winched and there was some type of sadness in his eyes. 

“And this is a good example most children should follow, but I think this time will it be better to break this rule young man if not for anything other then for your brother.” the man said and no matter how hard the boy tried he could not make the stranger’s words out to be a threat against his brother, in fact he sounded genuinely concerned towards him which he had never experienced beside himself. 

In this village they lived was it a long-lasting belief that when twins are born is one of them good and the other evil and if not killed because no one is sure which is which then the bad twin will always be treated nothing more then an object and punished whenever the good twin did something bad by accident because the evil one was trying to corrupt him. It had frightened and disgusted him to see his twin beaten, starved and even bound out by a chain in the back garden only because of him accidentally spilling some of the water because the bucket was too heavy. This was the ground why he had grabbed his brother’s hand, when hearing they father talking about selling him to one of those men who come to take away children and never let them return, and decided to run away, but both of them had tired to fast because of being so much undernourished then he always shared the little food he had gotten with his twin not caring if one of them should be evil or not, he would not abandon his brother or let him be taken away from him. Then he noticed that they were outside of the alley, he was stunned that he had not even noticed that he had taken the stranger’s hand, but had no time to think about it then beside him his brother tensed and then hit his father’s harsh voice his ears. 

“So you knew that they were hiding in the alley you old fucker.” his father spat and both boys were stunned when the man had suddenly drawn them behind himself, blocking they father’s path, he could not see his face, but the both boys could hear the anger in the older man’s voice. 

“I’m generally known as a just person and one who doesn’t judge others without knowing they full background, but I can’t avert my eyes at the sight of someone abusing children, leave alone children whom are they own flesh and blood.” Shion growled as he stood between the twins and they father, the terror emitting from the younger one drew some pictures in his mind about the sever beatings he needed to endure together with the humiliation to be treated like a dog. He was sure that if his master would be here then this man would be already on his way to the underworld after Hakurei would be through with him. 

“Then keep it that way sir and step the fuck out of my way to get the boy and that thing back home to they mother.” the man said and took a threatening step closer, but Shion made no move to stand aside. 

“It truly seems to me that you are an unfit parent if you consider one of your children nothing more then an object.” Shion spat back, he could feel the man’s anger boiling and he was sure that soon he would start a fight, but the pope had no desire to go down to his level. 

“Don’t you know that when twins are born one of them is always the evil one and this thing had been trying to influence my son since the start.” 

“I don’t believe in stereotypes and as it happens the man who had raised me as a father was himself an older twin” at this felt Shion the older boy look up in surprise” and his younger brother was also a respected and caring man, they were twins with both having flaws to they character, but still cared about others and protecting them.” finished Shion and took out a little bag filled with gold coins from his robes and tossed it to the man who caught it. “As stated you are an unfit parent and thus I will be taking these children under my wing, but I also understand your living situation.” Shion said as he watched the father look into the bag and then leave in the direction of his home before a little tug on is robes made him look down at the two children. 

“You were really raised by a twin sir?” the darker haired boy asked and Shion smiled kindly down at him.

“That is true young man, and as I have told your father neither my teacher nor his brother were evil people, they were just like any normal human being with good and bad to them. Only because one was born as twins is something to be envied and not scorned on then as twins you have a much more special bond then most siblings.” Shion said as he held out his hand again for the older boy to take. “I think we now have also a little chance to introduce ourselves, my name is Shion.”   
“I’m Saga and this is my younger brother Kanon.” Saga said as he gestured to the lighter haired boy clinging to him, Shion nodded, but then he saw something on the younger ones neck which displeased him and Saga had a good guess what it was when following his gaze. “It was a form of punishment that he sleeps outside so that he will not give me bad ideas as I sleep.” he explained. 

“Saga, how old are you two?” Shion asked in a forced calm tone, he had the urge to send a wave of Stardust Revolution down the street. 

“Ten.” was the reply. 

“And since when was this type of treatment established?” he needed to stay calm to not scare the children and yes they ARE heading back to the Sanctuary without any delays. 

“Since we were around five I think…” Saga replied timidly as he watched the man mumble something under his breath before kneeling down in front of them. 

“Boys, firstly I swear to you that from now on will no one dare mistreating either of you like this and secondly, Kanon may I get that collar down from you?” Shion asked gently, watching as the child looked over at his brother and only at his nod did he step closer and trying not to flinch visibly when Shion laid his hands on the collar. 

It angered the pope to notice the fingerprint sized bruises not only on Kanon’s bare arms, but also under the collar which in his option had been put on to tightly and had even left some marks on the boy’s neck which will hopefully heal when treated with some salves. After having that offensive thing taken down threw Shion it into the alley, to be honest he would have loved to Stardust Revolution it just like he had done it with the mask Defteros was forced to wear, but he could not risk frightening the boys. After standing up again at taking Saga’s hand, Kanon refused to let go of his older brother, started Shion to lead them to a bit more scheduled place and set out to explain before one of they boys jumps to bad conclusions. 

“Now gentlemen I know that this will sound weird, but we will now result to teleporting to get to where I and from now on also you will live.” Shion took in the sceptical looks he was receiving. “I know that this sound weird, but you will have to trust me, though this being your first time teleporting you may feel a bit queasy after our arrival, but it will settle after some deep breaths I promise.” he said while holding both of his hands out indicating that both of them need to take one. 

True to his word after the flash of teleportation died down sat both children on the ground, they faces slightly green and even Shion felt a bit unwell, but that was due to his not having had eaten anything since yesterday when he so brilliantly decided to leave dinner out. After all three of them felt better watched the pope how both boys were looking around in awe at the scenery in front of them, he had teleported them into one of the many gardens near some of the temple ruins which made the place look like an ancient reminder of the past which it actually was for this place existed since the Age of Myths. 

“Children” he said to gain the attention of his two new charges “welcome to the Sanctuary, your new home.”


End file.
